All seven of Elizabeth and Jim Lenihan’s children have been immersed in sport growing up in Deliga, near Milford.

Pessimism may be a tempting and often appropriate outlook when it comes to Irish athletics these days, but in Tullamore on Saturday, even the most cynical of souls couldn’t but be swayed: the future remains bright.

WORLD 5,000m record-holder Gillian O’Sullivan is hoping to extend her wonderful spell of form to 20km in the women’s final at the European championships in Munich.